Chris Jammer – Sports Updatehttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate
Blogging special sports events and storiesThu, 27 Oct 2016 18:43:48 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.151022412Two Owls to play in college football all-star gamehttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/01/two-owls-to-play-in-college-football-all-star-game/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/01/two-owls-to-play-in-college-football-all-star-game/#commentsWed, 11 Jan 2012 18:40:54 +0000http://blog.chron.com/owls/?p=5641
Running back Tyler Smith and cornerback Chris Jammer will play in the inaugural Casino Del Sol All-Star Game in Tucson, Ariz.]]>Running back Tyler Smith and cornerback Chris Jammer will play in the inaugural Casino Del Sol All-Star Game, which will be held Jan. 16 at Kino Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Both players will play for the Stripes team coached by former Fresno State head coach Pat Hill. Former Mississippi head coach Houston Nutt will guide the Stars team.

Smith led the Owls in rushing (860 yards) and all-purpose yards (1,169) and was second in receiving with 39 catches for 309 yards. He had a career-high 170 yards vs. Houston, highlighted by a school and Conference USA record 97-yard touchdown run.

Jammer made 40 career starts for the Owls at cornerback during his four-year career. He finished with 129 career tackles, 18 passes break ups and two interceptions.

The Casino Del Sol All-Star Game will kick off at 7 p.m. CT and be televised on Fox Sports Arizona and other Fox Sports affiliates.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/01/two-owls-to-play-in-college-football-all-star-game/feed/828941Rice weighs all options at quarterback — including a freshmanhttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/10/rice-weighs-all-options-at-quarterback-including-a-freshman/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/10/rice-weighs-all-options-at-quarterback-including-a-freshman/#commentsMon, 17 Oct 2011 19:01:04 +0000http://blog.chron.com/owls/?p=4289
The Owls are awaiting word on starter Taylor McHargue, who experienced concussion-like symptoms after a fourth-quarter hit in Saturday's loss at Marshall. Coach David Bailiff did not rule out the possibility of taking the redshirt tag off freshman Driphus Jackson.]]>Rice sophomore quarterback Taylor McHargue is scheduled to see a neurologist Monday afternoon, coach David Bailiff said at his weekly press conference.

McHargue suffered concussion-like symptoms after taking a hit late in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss at Marshall.

Nick Fanuzzi (above) could get the call if Taylor McHargue is unable to start for Rice. Or not. (Smiley N. Pool / Chronicle)

“We’ll know more after he visits with the neurologist,” Bailiff said.

Bailiff said he saw McHargue on Sunday and he “looked pretty good” but still had a slight headache.

]]>http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/10/rice-weighs-all-options-at-quarterback-including-a-freshman/feed/628744Rice camp preview: Five things to watchhttp://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/08/rice-camp-preview-five-things-to-watch/
http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2011/08/rice-camp-preview-five-things-to-watch/#commentsSat, 06 Aug 2011 15:19:25 +0000http://blog.chron.com/owls/?p=3285
After back-to-back losing seasons, the Rice Owls begin fall football practice Saturday with renewed expectations and one of the deepest rosters in the five-year David Bailiff era. Here are five things to keep an eye on throughout camp:
]]>After back-to-back losing seasons, the Rice Owls begin fall football practice today with renewed expectations and one of the deepest rosters in the five-year David Bailiff era.

Here are five things to keep an eye on throughout camp:

1. IMPROVEMENT IN THE SECONDARY

This is an area the Owls badly need to improve after finishing 119th against the pass last season. Four starters return, among them leading tacklers Corey Frazier and Travis Bradshaw at the safety positions and cornerbacks Chris Jammer and Phillip Gaines. Paul Porras gets the nod at the final safety spot entering camp, but Xavier Webb also could see playing time. During the offseason the Owls hired cornerbacks coach Chris Thurmond, who brings nearly 30 years experience from coaching stops that include Houston, Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas A&M and Kentucky. “He’s a wiley veteran with a lot of highway miles,” Bailiff said. “That’s one of those positions sometimes gray hair is good.”

Sam McGuffie led the Owls in rushing and receiving yards last season. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

2. MORE PRESSURE ON THE QUARTERBACK

If Scott Solomon has his way, opposing quarterbacks won’t have time to get comfortable in the pocket. Solomon, an all-conference defensive end, returns after missing last season with a foot injury. The Owls return starting defensive tackles John Gioffre and Michael Smith, while Jared Williams and Dylan Klare man the other end position. Two areas new defensive line coach Derrick Jackson plans to stress in camp: improving on nation-fewest 37 tackles for loss and forcing more turnovers.

3. HELP FOR SAM MCGUFFIE

McGuffie was the Owls’ do-everything back, leading the team in rushing and receiving yards in his first season after transferring from Michigan. The Owls hope to take some of the pressure off McGuffie, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t with an experienced offense that returns 10 starters. The backfield is especially loaded with at least five players who could see playing time, among them sophomore Jeremy Eddington. Eddington had a team-leading 10 rushing touchdowns – on only 59 rushing attempts – while playing almost exclusively in the Wildcat formation during the final seven games.

4. HELP WANTED: WIDE RECEIVER

For the first time in three years, the Owls enter camp with their quarterback situation settled. Now the task becomes finding targets for sophomore Taylor McHargue. There are questions at receiver, but the cupboard isn’t completely bare for new coach Billy Lynch. Tight end Luke Willson has all-conference potential and Vance McDonald, a physical specimen at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, should create matchup problems with move from tight end to receiver. Another move to watch is former backup quarterback Taylor Cook to tight end. Senior Randy Kitchens can be “a difference-maker” if he can stay healthy, Bailiff said, and the Owls could get help from Donte Moore, Mario Hull, Jordan Taylor and Klein Kubiak, to name a few.

5. MANY HAPPY RETURNS

Is this the year? The Owls own two of the longest droughts in the nation; they haven’t returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 1984 and it’s been since 1997 they brought back a punt. Junior Charles Ross was spectacular late in the season (school record 261 kickoff return yards vs. Tulane) and enters camp as the primary return man. The Owls also hope Shane Turner (hand/wrist) can return. Redshirt freshman Bryce Callahan, who averaged 25.8 yards as a senior at Cy Woods, and Roddy Maginot are the leading candidates to handle punt returns.

• • •

In case you missed any of it, here’s the complete camp countdown of players/coaches to watch: